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Impact of Complex Material Systems on the Radiation

Response of Advanced Semiconductors

Robert A. ReedInstitute for Space and Defense

ElectronicsSchool of EngineeringVanderbilt University

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Overview

• Introduction

• Identifying Key Issues

• Research Program Background

• Technical Objectives

• Approach

• Expected Research Results

• Technology Transfer

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Introduction

• Today’s integrated circuits arefabricated using complex materialsystems• Multi-layer, planar copper metal traces• Tungsten interconnection• High-k dielectrics

• Goal of this work:• Advance the state-of-knowledge pertaining to the

impact of complex material systems on the radiation response of sub-100 nm semiconductor structures

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Key Issues

• Two key areas of research:• Basic mechanisms for single event effects (SEEs)• Increased absorbed dose via dose enhancement

(DE)

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SEEs: Background

• Physical mechanisms for SEEs• Ionizing radiation-induced energy deposition within the

semiconductor, • Initial electron-hole pair generation, recombination and

thermalization, • Carrier transport within the semiconductor, • The response of the device and circuit

to the motion of the electron-hole pair distribution. • The goal of the proposed SEE work is to develop an understanding of the impact that complex material systems have on the first three mechanisms• Nuclear Reactions• Carrier Generation and motion

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Nuclear Reactions:Background

• Ion-Ion nuclear reactions in non-silicon material near the sensitive volume contribute to the soft error response

Warren et al. 2005, Dodd et al., TNS 2007, Reed et al. TNS 2007

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Nuclear Reactions

• Technical Objectives:• Measurement of energy deposition from reactions

• Approach: Device Under Test

Charge Sensitive Amplifier

Shaping Amplifier

Multi-Channel Analyzer

CO

UN

TS

ENERGY (KeV)

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Nuclear Reactions

• Candidate detectors:

• Expected Results:• Identification of critical materials in complex material systems • Provide experimental data for simulation effort define in previous

talk

Photodiode:- Deposit various materials on diode- NASA MSFC and GSFC

SOI PIN Diode:- Various amounts of metals- Université Catholique de Louvain

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Carrier Distribution

MRED simulation of delta ray production for 100 MeV protons

Simulation of delta ray production using MC code from SOREQ

•Technical Objectives:• Experimental study of carrier generation and comparison to theories • Review carrier motion theories

• Background:

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Carrier Generation

• Approach:• Build stacked array of

detectors• VU space awarded on DARPA

3D SOI run

• Measure response• Compute energy deposition

spectra (MRED and SOREQ)

• Identify shortcoming of carrier generation theories

• Review ultrafast nonlinear-optical techniques to study carrier relaxation processes (NRL)• Expected Results:

• Identify shortcoming of carrier generation theories

Array of SOI collection volumes

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Free Carrier Motion

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are needed to see this picture.

• Approach:• Review current carrier motion theories

• Expected Results:• Identify shortcoming of carrier motion theories

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Key Issues

• Two key areas of research:• Basic mechanisms for single event effects (SEEs)• Increased absorbed dose via dose enhancement

(DE)

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Dose Enhancement: Background

D. E. Beutler, et al. IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci., 1987.

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Dose Enhancement: Background

D. E. Beutler, et al. IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci., 1987.

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Dose Enhancement

• Technical Objectives:• Develop and validate simulation methodology for dose

enhancement effect

• Approach:• Determine simulation methodology for dose enhance effects

using MRED• Perform dose enhancement simulations and compare to

existing experimental data• Research to extend the dose enhancement simulations to

highly

• Expected Results• Simulation tool to study DE• Better understanding of the implications of high-Z materials

near active devices for advance semiconductors

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Summary of Research

• Goal: Advance the state-of-knowledge pertaining to the impact of complex material systems on the radiation response of sub-100 nm semiconductor structures

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Technology Transfer

• ISDE Engineering

• Collaborative R&D, e.g. NRL/Vanderbilt

• NASA MSFC/Vanderbilt CREME-MC Site

• DoD vendor relationships

• NASA Center collaborative R&D

• Through students